My son, not being able to breastfeed after his tongue and lip tie revision, completely refused the breast (even with an SNS). My boobs were not responding to a Medela Symphony and a concoction of herbs like fenugreek. My milk supply is now almost non-existant. We used all my stored milk, and also had a milk donations, but it wasn't enough, so I had to turn to formula or let my son starve.
I was worried. We don't vaccinate, and I had hoped breastfeeding could help them build an immunity to diseases (and shedding vaccines). I talked to a friend who suggested probiotics. So I began to research.
From my blog post about tongue ties, I mentioned how a baby's gut natures with sucking. However, if they cannot properly suckle, their guts are damaged. Yes, your 100% breastfed baby's gut may be damaged if they have a tie.
Lactation Consultants for a long time would say that breastfed babies don't have to poop every day or two days. That going once a week is fine because they use up everything in breastmilk. This is NOT TRUE. Part of having a healthy gut is having a bowel movement. It's like saying you're completely dehydrated and drink water. You will still pee it out. You wouldn't stop because you needed all the water. Same goes for breastfed infants. If they don't go every other day or sooner, they probably have gut damage.
Now, formula fed babies are different. They already have gut damage from not having straight breastmilk. Their flora is completely different. They don't have the benefits of good bacteria like breast milk has. They need probiotics not only to help their gut, but to help create an immunity that a breastfed baby gets.
Probiotics can be given to a baby straight from birth. Good bacteria will heal the gut, and can possibly fix many newborn problems:
- It can prevent colic. In a double-blind study, they had probiotics in formula to one group of babies and regular formula to another. There was a SIGNIFICANT decrease of colic in the group with probiotics.
- Less food allergies by improving digestion, and non-allergy types of food intolerance caused by imbalances in the normal intestinal flora.
- Good bacteria can help promote a healthier immunity leading to less colds.
- Good flora decreases constipation. Babies will be more regular as their guts are healthier.
- It has been shown to decrease Eczema.
- It can help counter the damage stress puts on the gut.
So how do you give your baby probiotics? They have drops, powder, and chewables available for infants and kids. Whatever you do, KEEP THEM REFRIGERATED. Probiotics are LIVE bacteria. Refrigerating them keeps them alive. And DO NOT BUY DROPS OR POWDER PROBIOTICS IF THEY'RE NOT REFRIGERATED. Chewable tabs are fine, but refrigerate as soon as you open them.
Babies and kids to 4 years old need about 4 billion CFU per day. 3-5 billion is best. So you can pretty much go anywhere and find low dosage probiotics. As long as its fine enough to mix into a drink, it's fine.
Adults need about 25 billion CFU. This is way too much for kids and can make them sick. Your best bet for kids are the $40 kid drops or powder. Or if you are on a budget like me, you crush up one 1.5 billion CFU chewable pills twice a day crushed to a fine powder into a bottle of formula or breastmilk (or chocolate milk like my 2 year old gets).
It's super easy, and cheap to keep your child's gut healthy!